iBooks Author – Author’s Rights

You may have heard about the new Apple software that basically makes the creation of a digital book super easy. Textbook authors can now use Apple’s software to publish their ebook.

iBooks 2 still contains 2x image files hinting at high-resolution iPad

and here: Apple’s new iBooks Author aims to simplify e-book creation

- BUT – according to what I’ve been reading – Apple wants the rights to that ebook created with the new iBooks Author. “Apple’s EULA for its iBooks Author publishing platform actually calls dibs on exclusive publishing rights to what you write with it.”

iBooks Author EULA Claims Rights to Works Written with It | Geekosystem

YES, APPLE WANTS YOUR RIGHTS…And So Does (Almost) Everybody Else! By Angela Hoy

UPDATE: The juries still out.

Someone has just told me that the warnings are not true. That Apple does NOT own the content of the text but they do have rights to the layout/format of it. So that if you used their format to create the ebook, you are free to take the content/text of it but not their design with you.

This would make sense.

I had received the earlier warning and may have passed it on too soon. I’m not a lawyer and don’t pretend to know the legalese of the situation. My initial intent in posting this was to pass on the initial warning I received. Sorry for posting it if it’s not true — but Caveat emptor – I for one will check into this more before deciding whether or not to use  the software.